TAMPA, Fla. — After a lengthy discussion, Tampa City Council members narrowly voted to raise their yearly salaries by more than $20,000, a move they say will benefit future councils and bring their "woefully behind" pay to a livable wage.
According to members, it's been an issue they have passed on or turned down in the past. But, the raise is detailed in the city's budget, which is drafted by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and her staff.
Multiple options are proposed, but $75,100 is the amount members voted to accept. If included in the final budget as is, it would take effect on Oct. 1, 2025, the start of the next fiscal year. Ultimately, council members approved the amount with amendments to the percentage increase and who it would apply to.
Currently, Tampa City Council salaries sit at $53,022, which is below the area median income (AMI) for the city. According to the city of Tampa's website, low income or 80 percent of AMI sits at $53,500.
Councilmember Gwendolyn Henderson brought the issue to Thursday morning's workshop and said she was in favor of adopting the proposed resolution put forth by the mayor's office because it would ensure a diverse group will have a "seat at the table" for future councils.
"The salary really should be comparable to someone who can live in Tampa," she said.
She reasoned that because of the requirements of the job and the needed flexibility, this government position would be limited to more privileged and wealthy people who have the means to take a salary below what the average person needs to live. As an example, she claimed many Florida legislators have voted against raising their wages because it would become a more accessible job for more people.
Councilmember Lynn Hurtak, the only other woman on the city council, agreed with Henderson, positing that a single mother with young children wouldn't be able to live off the current salary.
Most members agreed they had privileges or were in a stage of their lives where they could take on the responsibility at the current salary level.
But several councilmembers were not sold on the idea of raising their own salaries.
Councilmember Charlie Miranda, who has served on Tampa City Council since 1995 and was previously elected in the 1970s, said that while he's not opposed to a raise, the amount of the raise on its face gave him pause. He expressed concern over the large jump, an over 30 percent adjustment, in such a short time. Especially while knowing so many Tampa residents are struggling, saying he doesn't want "them to think that we're just above them."
Miranda was one of three council members to vote against the salary increase.
Councilmember Bill Carlson also opposed the raise, but not because it was too much — rather, he believed it was too low; plus, it doesn't solve the root issue for future councils.
Carlson pointed out the much higher salaries of senior staff in the mayor's office, which he claimed sat around $180,000 and even up to $200,000. Castor's own salary was said to be around that, too. And that's fair, the city council pointed out.
Carlson also said he was concerned about the one-time nature of the salary increase, noting it doesn't solve the issue of having a standardized percentage for future salary increases. The lack of this, he suggested, helped keep current city council salaries so low.
In line with Carlson, Councilmember Alan Clendenin also opposed adopting the resolution.
Councilmember Luis Viera, who voted no, expressed concern about the council's acceptance of the salary raise. He said he has suggested in the past that council pass a raise resolution and then put it on a ballot to be approved by voters in the next election. Then, if it's adopted by voters, it would apply to the next elected officials.
According to legal council, the city charter on salaries says the following, "The salary or salaries of the officers of the city may be increased or decreased at any time by the concurrence of the mayor and a majority of no fewer than four votes of the entire city council which concurrence shall be documented by resolution or ordinance of the council, recommended or approved in writing by the mayor."
Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported that Councilmember Luis Viera voted yes on the salary raise. It has been corrected to reflect that he voted no.